There are many hypothesis on why Steinbeck kills Lennie. Below are 5 of them. Choose one and explain why this may be the best reason. Make sure that you make at least 2 specific references to the story with page numbers. This may take a few more than 7 sentences.
1. Lennie desires a “safe place,” and in death he will finally find his dream.
2. Lennie is animalistic. He cannot control his desires. He lacks the mental capacity to be conscious enough to know his own strength or to protect himself from others. But must all people who cannot control their desire to be killed?
3. Lennie is useless: Candy’s dog is killed because it is no longer useful. The same case may be applied to Lennie. But Lennie is useful to the rancher and to George.
4. Lennie is a disturbance of public order.
5. Society is responsible for the accident in which Lennie kills Curley’s wife.
51 comments:
Mr. Kay,
I am choosing to responde to the 2nd hypothesis. Lennie truley doesn't know the power of his own strength. He doesn't understand that he has to be gentle and to listen. When he touched Curley's wife's hair, he wasn't thinking about anything else but feeling how soft it was. On page 91, Lennie went to his frantic stage where he was so scared about not getting to tend to the rabbits that he did everything he could to keep Curley's wife from screeming. Also on page 85, Lennie kept thinking to himself and asking himself why the puppy got killed. He realized that he hit the pup to hard but he automatically went to asking himself why the puppy had to die again. When Lennie thinks, he only thinks about what he wants, and he does what he will to keep it. He never intends to hurt anyone, or anything. His mind just doesn't work the same as most of ours. But I don't feel that that means they need to be killed.
Danielle Turner
1 is the subject I'll agree with. With the crime committed and now no way out to find the happy place George and Lennie has always wanted in this world. Curley sure wasn't going to let Lennie get away with killing his wife(she still needs a name). '"I'm goin'," he said,"I'm gonna shot the guts outta that big bastard myself, even if I only got one hand.I'm gonna get him."'(pg98). He was going to get shot anyways, George must have wanted to do that himself "I oughtta of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn't oughtta of let no stranger shoot my dog."'(Pg61). He didn't want to feel like Candy, dying by a friends hand out of mercy is better than dying by a foe out of anger.
Derek Guckian
5th hour
I really wish I hadn't started so late to do my blog last week, I wanted to explain more interesting the characters are.
I see number two as the best hypothesis because Lennie does have an issue with his brain. He is slower not allowing him to think like a regular person would. He cannot control his mind and actions because he doesn't really know himself. Like it says in the hypothesis, he doesn't know his own strength. "He shook her then, and he was angry at her. ...And her body flopped like a fish." (91) This is when he killed Curley's wife and he didn't even mean to but he didn't measure the force he put into shaking her. He also has some anger issues with things that he can't control. He sees things and thinks they are threats. "an' he made like he's gonna bite me... an' I made like I was gonna smack him an'... an' I done it." (87) I think that not all people who cannot control their desires should not be killed. However, the people who kill other people and other things should be put away.
William Schwartz
6th hr
I chose the 5th hypothesis which is the society is responsible for the accident in which Lennie kills Curley's wife. I think society is responsible because they knew that Lennie was mentally disabled and didn't know how to control his strength. On page 63, when Lennie and Curley were fighting and Lennie took his hand and wouldn't let him go, showed how strong he was. Also society was responsible for it because George knew how strong Lennie was and he didn't try to stop it until Lennie got a hold of Curley's hand. George mentions not to mess with with Lennie on page 26. Everyone on the ranch was aware that if you mess with Lennie will get hurt. So I think if everyone knew that Lennie was in the barn, the accident with Curley's wife probbaly would never happen.
Katherine Walsh
6th hour
Mr. Kay,
I definitely think the second one is the most logical. It just makes sense to me that he is hard to keep from hurting things and to keep him contained. Of coarse he breaks Curley's hand. On pg 63, it says that George simply tells him to fight back, and with less control, he breaks Curley's hand. He has trouble stopping what he is doing. Also on page 91, it is when Lennie loses control on Curley's wife. His animalistic ways makes it so that he fights back to protect the the one thing he wants; the land owning. That's why he stops he screaming when she scream after he strokes her hair. He also, on the same page, loses control when she asks him to stroke her hair. He continues to do it really hard and can't stop. Though it wasn't a lot to go on, I don't know if it really meant killing him, but it was the most logical reason. I guess it just shows he has animal-like features that make him vulnerable to being killed. That's what I think of these hypotheses.
Luke LaFOuntain
5th Hour
5th
I think that the second hypothesis is the best reason why Steinbeck kills Lennie. Lennie's mind has stopped at a child's age, and acts completely like a child. He has to have George take care of him and watch out for his mistakes, and then fix the mistakes after Lennie makes them. However, this is not Lennie's fault because this is how his mind is. He didn't ask for this lifestyle. When he hears something he forgets it, and he doesn't think about the consequences of his actions when he is upset or scared. The first occurrence in the book when this happens is when we first are introduced to Lennie and George in the first chapter. The readers find out that in the past George and Lennie's Aunt stopped giving Lennie animals such as rabbits and mice because he continued to kill them. Of course, Lennie never intentionally tried to kill the animals, and ended up forgetting about it anyway. The second occurrence is in bunkhouse with Curley. When George told Lennie to fight Curley, Lennie became scared and his fear lead him to crush Curley's hand into pieces. (P. 63)Again, Lennie didn't go into the fight with the determination of hurting Curley, it was only a reaction to his fear. The last occurrence when Lennie did not control his strength was in the barn. He first killed the dog, because he didn't think that he would have to be careful with it since it was bigger than the mice he had. After he killed the dog, he went on to kill Curley's wife. (P.91) When she started to scream as he was pulling her hair, Lennie reacted to his emotions. He didn't want to get in trouble, so he tried to make her stop screaming. He didn't know the actual harm his strength could do. I think that in the end, George realized that Lennie would never be able to control his strength, and it would continue to get him in trouble.
I chose number two as my hypothesis. As we all know, Lennie is mentally challeneged, and is considered slow to the mind. We also know that he cannot control what he desires, because he truly doesnt understand whats right and whats wrong. Like George said to Slim on page 41,"...he wants to touch everyting he likes. Just wants to feel it. So he reaches out to feel this red dress and the girl lets out a squawk," This quote explains that Lennie doesnt understand that that would make the girl feel uncomfortable, and that you shouldnt do that. But, Lennie lacks the mental capasity and didnt understand that. It also said in the hypothesis that he doesnt know his own strength. "George slapped him in the face again and again, and still Lennie held on to the closed fist. Curley was white and shrunken by now, and his struggling had become weak." (pg. 63) This is when Lennie wouldnt let go of Curleys hand until he crushed it. That quote is a great example of Lennie not being aware of how strong he is. In my opinion, since Lennie couldnt control his desires and strengths that he ended up killing Curleyswife, he should deserve death.
Clare Pathe
to me, none of these are the best reason.
the best hypothesis to me, is:
lennie was a simpleton who knew nothing better, being also that his weakness was his strength. he knew right from wrong, but the line was very vague to his mind. and when someone does not know what is right, and what is wrong, because the line is to big, no one can be blamed for it except themselves, and even though they cant find the resources, it is society who should pick people up from the ground. but this is not saying society is to blame, because george took him in.
here are the reasons why i disaprove to all of your hypothesis:
1. well, its not lennies dream to die, and be in a better place, thats where curley wants him to be because he killed his wife who never liked him anyways.
2. he can control himself, as he does all the time, and he knows right from wrong, only when he has done that which is wrong, or that which is right.
and not all people who cant be controlled should not be killed, because you can help people become better controls of themselves.
3. as you admitt in the end, lennie is not useless, cause he is a help to eople, but he just needed things to do. now if you kept him occupied, things like curleys wife would not happen.
4. he is not, because he just doesn't know better, and that can be taught to him. it will take time, but did it not take us till 3-5 to know the basic rights from wrongs, and to truly understand them?
5. society is not to blame, cause they never took responsibility. they never took charge of him. all they wanted to do was kill him, while not knowing he was mentally challenged. thats all people want to do is to get rid of those who cause a disturbance when people never knew better.
i am very angry right now, so this might be as to why i am not agreeing, but i do stand to my point as to the fact that he could have been taught, and he could have learned, but my guess is that others were to impatient and sent him on his way.
nick visger
I think the second one is the best hypothesis. I think this because Lennie doesn't know his own strength. He doesn't really know how to be genital with things he touched or grabs. On pg 63, it says that George simply tells him to fight back, and with less control, he ends up breaking Curley's hand. On page 91, Lennie got so worried about not getting to tend to the rabbits that he did everything he could to keep Curley's wife from screaming and yelling. He doesnt do anyhting thing on purpose. Its all accident to him, hes not really well aware of how rough he is with things.
I agree with the second hypothesis the most. Lennie can tell right from wrong which is great, but he can't keep from doing wrong. He cant control his own strength. On pg.91, Lennie cannot control his strength when he kills Curley's wife. He wants so badly to tend the rabbits that he does anything to keep that from happening. Another example of Lennie not being self-controlled is when he brakes Curley's hand on pg.63. I'm sure that he didn't mean to do it on purpose. Lennie wouldn't of done anything had George not of told him to fight back. I don't think people who can't control their desire should be killed. Thats what mental instatutions are for. To keep them alive, but in a place where they can't hurt anybody.
Cody Kabisa
5th hour
I'm going to have to go with the 2nd option. Lennie is animalistic because his first reaction to something is a little more physical then vocal. Like when the mice bit him he would end up crushing their skulls. Not knowing how strong he is doing it on accident to do something back to the animals that bit/attacked him. Also he dosen't really know his strength sure when Curly tries to fight him. He ends up crushing Curleys hand just by grabbing it with his. Now in my opinion these people shouldn't be killed because there can be some help for them. If they cant be helped they could be put into some sort of solitary confinement. Instead of just killing them because they cant control them selves while they are scared or angry. Because in all realty you would probably act difrently in a time where you are scared or angry.
kevin anderson
6th hour
I chose #2 as the best hypothesis. Lennie is mentally challanged and does not realize when he is harming something. Lennie likes soft things and doesn't realize his strength. On page (10) Lennie said,"I'd pet em, and pretty soon they bit my fingers and I pinched their heads a little and then they were dead-because they were so little." Lennie is not conscious that he is squeezing the mouse so tight that it will die. George knew that Lennie couldn't control himself and thought if Lennie had a larger animal maybe he wouldn't kill it- ex. rabbit, puppy. When Lennie was talking with Curley's wife, she had Lennie stroke her soft hair. As he was stroking her hair she got angry with him (pg 91) "Look out, now you'll mess it all up. She jerked her head sideways, and Lennie's fingers closed on her hair and hung on". When Lennie gets afraid, he panics and his strength takes over. Just because Lennie can't control himself due to his mental illness doesn't mean he should be killed.
I found hypothesis number two to be the best reason steinbeck kills lennie. Lennie was born with the mentak diasability. Ginen this terrible disease he is not able to think in mind of what he is doing. aside from that lennie does not seem to even be able to control his anger or feelings. Lennie was also a big animal lover, and he would do what ever was neccesary to be able to have the privlage of them being in his reach. When he was assigned the tender of the rabbits he did everything in his power to be calm and stay out of trouyble. I found two exaples(both on page 91) that showd he was illing to over power what ever it was that got in his way inorder to keep this job. One was him shaking her in feer that she would scream and george would get mad. The other was him just plain out killing her and constantly telling her not to yell cause he'd get in lots of trouble with george.
conman
1.
Yes, Lennie does desire safety, away from people who yell and hurt.
I do not believe in a life after death, or a chance to come back again, but in Lennie's case, there might be.
I think if you are left dying, your mind races around, looking for something to hold onto, keeping you concious, and you might grip to old memories.
Being talked through something can distract you. By doing so, George was able to euthenize Lennie. And even if it hurt him to do so, he felt he was saving Lennie from suffering Curly's wrath.
I feel that even if it was a story, Lennie is living his dream.
The first one is the one that I agree with. Only because I know that they would never have gotten the land. SO then Lennie would be upset and might have hurt George. When Lennie gets upset like on 91 he killes Curley's wife. He got upset and then she ended up dead. So if George lied to Lennie then Lennie would I believe kill george. I dont think that Lennie would perposely hurt him. I think that George would say somthing not thinking about it. Then I believe Lennie would snap.
I am going to choose the 3rd one. In my opinion Lennie is usefull. Now for the farm work he isn't bad because of how big and strong he is. Plus he can help George get a job becasue of his size and work ethic. However when you need him to think for you or make a decision or something it is like asking a cow to milk its. For example he isn't suppose to talk so if he did it could cost George his job. Another thing is he can't really control himself like in Weed what happened there and really in the barn with Curly's wife. Another thing is he forgets things a lot so you might orget not to talk or where to go if he does something bad. Last he sin't allowed to go anywhere with George so thats kind of syaing, you are nothing to me, at least i think so.
Ty Bouwens, 6th hour
I think the second one is the best. Lennie is like a little kid. Lennie doesnt know his own strength and thats his downfall. Lennie cant control his actions without having someone tell him if hes doing something wrong. Lennie looks at things differently. George saw the farm as a whole. George thought of the big picture and other things besides the rabbits. Lennie was only into the rabbits, he didnt care for anything else on the farm, only the rabbits. Lennie couldnt control his desires, so no, not all people hwi cant control their desires should be killed. Lennie didnt know what was bad or good untill its too late.
deets
5. Society is responsible for the accident in which Lennie kills Curley’s wife.
The hypothesis i have chosen is number 5. "Society is responsible for the accident in which Lennie kills Curley’s wife." i agree with the hypothesis the most. Society obviously isn't the direct cause of Curley's wifes death, but it did play an indirect role. In this time period the mentally challenged were less understood. I think people judged mentally challenged people, without realizing what was really wrong with them. so in that case, yes, i believe society did play a major role in the death of Curley's wife. for an example on page 86 Curley's wife tells Lennie that all the other men are out at the horseshoe tenement. which sounds insignificant but plays a big role in the ideas of mentally challenged. all of the other men left, without Lennie. if they had been more understanding and taken Lennie along, then he couldn't have been alone with Curley's wife and killed her. Another example that a better understanding of mentally challenged is on page 91 when Curley's wife reacted to Lennie as a danger. If she had been more aware of mentally challenged people, she probably could have avoided the situation. Instead of panicking she should have calmly told him that he was holding to tightly. Instead she yelled in a panic causing Lennie to accidentally kill her.
Taylor Dieck
6th hr.
I chose the first theory, that Lennie desires a safe place. In the society which Steinbeck wrote about it was clear that being mentally disabled was a huge ste back. From chapter one to the moment when Lennie was killed George was constantly incharge of them. On page 21 of Mice and Men george is answering all of Lennies questions for him he was constantly looking out for Lennie and his best intrest. Lennie is the kind of person who just needs to have a place to be who he truly is. On page 107 of the novel Lennie is shot, he is so oblivious and distracted to tending the rabbits that he does not realize he is about to be shot. George always had to hide Lennie and who he really was. Lennie finally is in a place where he does not need to hide anything, he is accepted and known as Lennie.
I think that the second one is the best to describe this. He truly did not know his own strength. When he was scared he did things that he didnt know he was doing. On page 91 he was really scared. He was trying to do everything he could to keep curlys wife from screeming. He did not know his own strenghth though and kills her. Another example is on page 85 i dont think he realized that he hit the puppy. He didnt want to hurt his pup. He deffinetly didnt know his own strength.
Katlyn Twigg 6th Hour
It is true that lennie can not control his disires. He doesn't know how strong he is. He is cluless and only cares about soft thiings. Not all people who cannot control there desires should be killed. Only the once who are killing and hurting other people. Like when lennie killed Curleys wife or when he hurt that girl in weed. He is just a clueless person and is a burdon to everone and hurts people without meaning to All the time.
I think that hypothesis 2 makes more sense. I think this because Lennie seems to be in one way autistic. And if they don't learn not to do something then they don't know its wrong. And so it doesn't seem like Lennie was ever taught personal space, with the incident in Weed. And then he was never taught not to grab something when you get scared, with the incident with Curley's wife. Another example from the book is on On page 10 Lennie said,"I'd pet em, and pretty soon they bit my fingers and I pinched their heads a little and then they were dead because they were so little." And that was the same reason with the puppy, he doesn't realize how strong he is and how little the animals are. And then on page 91,When she started to scream as he was pulling her hair, Lennie reacted to his emotions. He didn't want to get in trouble, so he tried to make her stop screaming by covering her mouth. And in the end George thought Lennie would never be able to control is strength and didn't want to have to suffer if the other men got to him so he shot him in a less painless way. I think if Lennie could have been taught to control his strength he might have been able to live.
Hannah Aittama
5th hour
"Lennie is a disturbance of public order" He clearly was a public desturbance. He may have done it on accident but he still made bad decisions and caused trouble. He touched a girls dress which caused her to screem and atract attention. She complaigned and said she was raped, and got em removed from Weed. (Pg41 & 42).
Now the second time was a bit more seriouse. He was talking to Curely's wife when he was not suppost to and killed her. He also did this on accident but it realy got him in deep shit. He was told to hide and did. Sadly enough running away from a murder makes that worse. I know he did what he was told but being that he's mentaly dissabled he may not have been killed when it was an accident. I think George had every right to kill him for the sake of others. I'm not shur he could think of much more to do on the spot. (Pg 91 & 92)
The hypothesis that I have chosen, is the first one. The first one sates that Lennie desires to have a "safe place", after killing Curley's wife, there will be no "safe place" for him. George, doing only doing what's good for Lennie, has to kill him. First off, on page 91 is the killing of Curley's wife by Lennie. Curley's wife showed him that her hair was soft, not knowing Lennie would take it to far. Lennie likes to pet soft things. So when Lennie would not stop petting her hair, she instantly got scared. So she didn't know that else to do other than scream, and squirm. The Lennie was afraid that he was going to get in trouble, and not be able to tend the rabbits, so he shook her, to keep her quiet. Then he ended up killing her on accident. On page 98, it shows that Curley is really angry with Lennie for killing his wife. Curley is mad, not just because he killed his wife (which he really didn't love her, and now he just can't show her off anymore)but because Curley was always jealous of Lennie because he was so much bigger than he was. After the incident where Lennie crushed Curley's hand, all he wanted to do was kill him, and now he has a legitimate reason to. With Lennie being mentally disabled and with trying to keep up with a job, there really won't be a "safe place" for Lennie ever to be, unless they got their land. After the accidental killing of Curley's wife, George knew that they weren't going to go easy on Lennie, so he had to do what was best for Lennie, even though it meant killing someone he was so close to. Even all the times that George yelled at Lennie, he loved Lennie, and would do anything for him, not just because he made a promise to his Aunt Clara, but because they ended being such good friends.
Alanna Nagi
6th hour
I'm going to go with the second one. Lennie doesnt realize how strong he actually is. And when he gets scared he doesnt realize how strong he is and ends up hurting something. On page 91, Lennie was so scared about not getting to tend to the rabbits that he did everything he could to keep Curley's wife from screaming. Also on page 85, Lennie kept thinking to himself why the puppy got killed. He realized that he hit the puppy way to hard. And then right after went back to asking himself why the puppy died. When Lennie thinks its only about what he wants. He doesnt rally realize that what he wants might affect other people.
I am choosing to respond to the second statement. With Lennie being born with a disability it poses a problem. Lennie doesnt know who he really is inside. He lacks the intelligence to speak the right thing to somebody and control his strength. To make sure Lennie and George keep a job George has to speak for Lennie so that he doesnt say something wrong. George also tells Lennie not to talk to Curley's wife so that he wont say anything bad. In the book when Curley starts to punch Lennie in the face, George tells Lennie to fight back. Lennie took his hand and grabbed Curleys and crushed it not knowing that he did indeed do it. After he had done that he was scared that he was going to get in trouble and not be able to tend the rabbits. Another time in the book, Lennie killed Curley's wife. While Lennie was touching her hair, his finger got tangled up in it and she started to freak out. Lennie, not knowing what to do, puts his hand over her mouth and tells her to stop yelling. While doing that he starting shaking her and he eventually broke her neck and she died. All these times Lennie wasnt aware of what he was doing and his strength was out of control.
Troy Wojichowski 5th hr
Mr. Kay,
I think that #1 is the best out of the ones you have given us. I think that I have a better one, but this is the best. I think that all the talk about how Lennie wanted a place to go hwere he couldnt hurt anybody and could do whatever he wanted. And while death is a terrible thing, it does have its positive, and this is a positive just like the dog. He wants to do things on his own, so that he doesnt hurt anybody becuase of the things he loves. Also, he has many dreams of peace that eh wouldnt be able to accomplish because of some setbacks that he has. But when he is in peace, there is nosuchthing as being hled back. He can do anything that he wants to do, when he wants to.
i choose the first hypothesis because lennie is always saying he never feels safe and i dont blame the guy. He hurts/kills everything he touches and can't keep a job or any things in life he loves. When he is dead there will be no more problems for him and he will finnaly be at peace. He was going to get shot anyways, George must have wanted to do that himself "I oughtta of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn't oughtta of let no stranger shoot my dog."'(Pg61). george obviously loves lennie and he wanted to be the onbe to put him down. i think he killed him in the name of love not in the name of murder.
Alex Martin
2. Lennie is animalistic. He cannot control his desires. He lacks the mental capacity to be conscious enough to know his own strength or to protect himself from others. But must all people who cannot control their desire to be killed?
Lennie cannot control his desire to have an animal he can pet. But he needs an animal thats big enought that can handel his strength. Everything he has had he has killed. Not on purpuse but on complete accident. Him beeing that he has a mental disability, he doesnt know right from wrong. And he doesnt know things about himself that he sould know or that people know about him that could lead to truble. Such as his strength killing these animals. Like in chapter 5 how his strength killed the lil pup and how his strength killed curlys wife. Him not know his strength and right from wrong caused this to happen. I dont think all people should be killed just because they dont know right from wrong. Its not right to treat somone different just because they dont know. Its not right and its inhuman.
Mr. Kay,
I was not present for any of this Monday or today, so I do not know what to write. Please allow me to do this tomorrow.
Thank You,
James Richardson
5th hour
Im selecting hypothesis # 2. I think that Lennie is very childish and cannot control or understand what he does.THis is why i think that this hypothesis is the best choice. An example of him not knowing his own strength was on (pg10) when Lennie said "I'd pet em, and pretty soon they bit my fingers and I pinched their heads a little and then they were dead-because they were so little." Another example is on (pg91) He shook her then, and he was angry with her. "Don't you go yellin'," he said and he shook her; and her body flopped like a fish. And then she was still, for Lennie had broken her neck. There are many more example of Lennie acting childish and not knowing his own strength. But I do not think that he should have been killed for a simple mistake.
Taylor Wattles
5th
I chose the #2 hypothesis. Lennie is like a little boy. He must be told what to do and be watched out for. Although his emotions are like a baby, his physical strength is far beyond average. The worst part is that he doesn't understand this. On pg 91 Lennie just wants Curly's wife to stop, so he shakes her. This was strong enough to kill her. On pg 63, Lennie blocks Curly's punch, yet it was enough to crush his hand. Lennie never meant any harm, but his strength is far too great for him. It was horrible that they killed Lennie because he wasn't a bad person. However, it had to be done because it was affecting too many people and it was for his own good. Thankfully, now we have stuff such as mental institutions that will watch people that are in need of it. This way, they can continue to live and still not harm anyone.
Kristen Pauly
6th hr.
1. On the last two pages Lennie finally got to go home and be in peace. He never has to be ridiculed or harassed no more. I feel lennie lived a hard life. George always lied and said lennie was kicked. Im sure this hurt lennie and all he wanted was to have things that were soft.
4. In the first five pages, george talks about how lennie is a tag-along. That lennie slows george down and how lennie causes them to always be moving around. When lennie pulled on the girls dress, this caused a disturbance. She started to scream and he wouldnt let go.
amy urbanik
5th hour
I think the second hypothesis best describes the death of Lennie. He cannot control his actions and therefore cannot control his strength. He sometimes seems like a child because of the actions he takes. George always has to look after him or else he is always getting into trouble. One example is when Curley starts to try to fight him and Lennie ends up crushing his hand (page 63). He cannot control what he was doing and in my opinion he had no idea what he was doing or how hard he was doing it. Another example is when he killed the dog and Curley's wife in the barn (page 90-91). He didn't know he would kill the puppy or even Curley's wife by shaking her and suffocating her to death. Therefore, it was necessary for George to keep Lennie out of trouble by shooting him. It also prevented Lennie from causing other people trouble.
I feel that number 1,Lennie desires a “safe place,” and in death he will finally find his dream, was the best choice. I think this because lennie always wanted a safe place and he finally got it. It may not have been the right way or the way any would expect for Lennie to have his safe place. Goerge was always tying to get lennie his safe place. but something would always happen so goerge would have to start all over again. George was getting tired of starting over. George took the easy way out and just killed. Lennie in a way was now safe, but so was george. George diddn't always have to take care of lennie so now he was free to do what he wants.
Chris Reid
6th hour
I choose the second one because lennie iss what we call to be on the slow side, he really doesnt no what hes saying or doing hes depending on other people for help. He cannot control himself to well when he alone or around people. like on page 85 "Why do you got to get killed?" you aint so little as mice. I didnt bounce you that hard" he didnt really mean to kill the pup and they no it hes just to strong and not to bright to no what he did. and on page 96 "Im gonna get him. Im going for my shotgun. ill kill that big son of a bitch myself.Ill shoot im in the guts." i think that people that dont no what there doing should get killed, but yes this was in the olden days so many people dont no whats right and wrong but i think its wrong.
John Kent
5th Hour
Lennie desires a safe place and in death he will finally find his dream. The safest place is in heaven. God has more mercy than humans do. The world that Lennie is in is cold and unforgiving. God understands that Lennie didn’t mean to kill Curley’s wife. Curley would have killed him hard and slow. No one deserves this. If they didn’t kill him and him arrested they would have jailed him and the in mates would have beaten him regularly. If they didn’t jail him they would have institutionalized him. That would be worse that jail. Heaven was the best place for Lennie. On page 5 Lennie has a dead mouse to feel safe. On page 16 the dream of the farm that is shared by Gorge and Lennie, for Lennie the ability to tend the rabbits makes him feel safe with that dream.
By far i think that number 2 makes the most since, he can not control himself and there for hurts poeple he does not know what he is doing. He has too uch power and cannot control all of it when he gets scard he panics and makes thinks worse shown on page 91 "she screamed then, and lennie's other hand closed over he mouth and nose.". I don't think he should have been killed beacause of it but he can not live alone without hurting someone, he needed to be in a better place where he would not create any promblems. When he figures out that the pup has died he says "I didn't bounce you hard" (Steinbeck pg 85)he does not know what he can do he though he could not hurt the pup but he did. THe guy was very very strong and could do a lot of work but when he got a in panic he worries too much and does thing that are bad. No one is stronger than lennie in the book and so no one could touch him without being able to have him hurt him. Lennie does not know what he did wrong but he knows what got him in trouble last time. After geting in trouble in weed he linked girls sreaming with being in trouble so he tryed to stop her from sreaming. If he could control his strength there would not be any problems but he cant handle all that power and make the right desicons.
Shaun Gerber
#2 would have to explain why George killed Lennie the best. however, i dont agree with everything said in it but it made the most sense. since Lennie is mentally challenged he learns differently and just remembers certain things when he panics. like he just freaks out when the puppy is killed on pages 91-92 and only worries that he will be in trouble. if he forgets in trouble George will not let him take care of the rabbits so he doesn't know what to do.also on page 87 he told Curleys wife what happened to the puppy. he only did it because the puppy was going to bite him but not hard but it still scared him. also when Curley thinks Lennie is laughing at him he punches him and Lennie doesn't do anything until George says to fight back. he ends up breaking Curleys hand because he couldn't stop. i think it depends on wht the desire is. not necessarily do you have to be killed but some consequense if you are hurting others.
I feel number two is the best hypothesis. Because lennie really doesnt understand how big and strong he is. Also how he can just kill something with just a little smack or pinch. On pg 63, it says that George simply tells him to fight back, and with less control, he ends up breaking Curley's hand. On page 91, Lennie got so worried about not getting to tend to the rabbits that he did everything he could to keep Curley's wife from screaming and yelling. Then the girl is dead and then lennie gets really worried and then he just starts to panic and thinks that life will go on if he just goes back to the boush. So really i feel lennie has kinda no idea what is really going on around him.
Megan Fraser
5th hour
I don't completely agree with any of these, but the one that makes the most sense is number two. Lennie just doesn't know when to stop and has a really hard time controlling himself. On page 91 it talks about how he broke her neck and killed her. He obviously had to have been using a lot of force and couldn't control himself. At first is was just small things like mice (pg 10) like when he would squeeze their heads a little bit and they'd die. Then it was the puppy (pg 85) because it tried to bite him and he accidentally killed it. But when it turns into a person, then there is kind of a threat to society. It's not like he's a bad person or anything, he just doesn't know when to stop. George killed him because Curley was going to kill him anyway and he felt he should do it because at least he has good intentions.
I believe that the second explaination is the best hypothesis on why Steinbeck kills Lennie. Lennie does not seem to grasp the concept of how much power he has. By the time he realizes that he is being too strong or rough with something or somebody, it is generally too late. After Lennie has killed the puppy, he says this, "Why do you got to get killed? You ain't so little as mice. I didn't bounce you hard." (Steinbeck, 85) Even after the puppy is dead, he doesn't seem to grasp the idea of how it could have happened. He thinks that because the puppy is a little bigger than a mouse, that there would be a much smaller chance he could hurt it. Then, when he is with Curley's wife, he kills her as well, not even realizing that he has done it. "He shook her then, and he was angry with her... And then she was still, for Lennie had broken her neck." (Steinbeck, 91) After she has been killed, he does not realize it until a little bit later. We see that Lennie cannot fully understand his strength, especially when angry. Even if he could understand it, he has no control over his emotions, and that would still make his strength dangerous.
Kaleigh Swanson
5th hour
Marc B. Kay,
The best reason for killing Lennie is because of number 1. Lennie desires a "safe place" and if he would have been killed by Curley he would not have been thinking of the happy place. George got him talking about the place they were going to own and Lennie was at peace when he died.(104-06) Also there was probably no way that they were ever going to own a land and a little place. Nowthat Lennie is dead he will be going home to his little place to tend the rabbits. Lennie was also thinking about how bad he let George down. George imagined a rabbit speaking to him telling him that Lennie would never be able to tend the rabbits.(104) It was important for Lennie to know George wasn't mad. George made Lennie feel better before he died. For this reason Lennie died in happy and will rest in peace.
Lennie desires a “safe place,” and in death he will finally find his dream. I believe this is the best hypothesis on why Steinbeck killed Lennie. I say this because Lennie was never a bad person, he was just a simple person with simple needs. He wanted things that felt nice and smooth, like animals (mainly rabbits). Like Lennie said "An' have rabbits." (Steinbeck pg.14). So Steinbeck, and myself, believe that Lennie would be able to tend rabbits all the time without hurting anyone else. So if he was killed he would move on to a better place and be able to tend rabbits all the time without any trouble.
James Richardson
5th hour
The best reason I belive for killing off Lennie is that Lennie is animalistic. He cannot control his desires. He lacks the mental capacity to be conscious enough to know his own strength or to protect himself from others. But must all people who cannot control their desire to be killed? Lennie really does'nt know his own strength. He has killed three things, the dog, the rabbit, and now Curly's wife. For example on page 91 Lennie was freaking out on Curly's wife. He was petting her hair but then he got too rough. I think that people who kill animals should be killed. Its not fair, why should they live when the poor animal didnt get to.
Samantha Casteel
5th hour
I think that the first one is the best answer. This is clearly the best one because lennie dreams throughout the sotry about his dream and the rabbits. On Page 97 is when Curley gets furious with Lennie for killing his wife. All george can do is get Lennie to a safe place. If Lennie dies he can get to his place which is the ranch. Lennie really didnt have much to choose from, it was either jail for life or a peaceful death. I agree with what george did because it put Lennie out of his misery too.
Mr. Kay, remember I talked to you the other day about this day and wedsndays because my internet box went down.Thanks,
Blanz
1. Lennie desires a “safe place,” and in death he will finally find his dream.
I choose number one as my topic for this blog. Lennie did need a safe place, and by killing him... George gave Lennie that safe place. "I'm gonna shot the guts outta that big bastard myself, even if I only got one hand.I'm gonna get him." pg. 98. Lennie was going to die either way. I think it's better off he died quick from George. The others would have killed him slowly and hurt him so much worse... I can't find any other examples to use for this blog for my second source :/
2. Lennie is animalistic. He cannot control his desires. He lacks the mental capacity to be conscious enough to know his own strength or to protect himself from others. But must all people who cannot control their desire to be killed?
I choose the second hypothesis to be most correct. Lennie is strong beyond his own desires and cannot control himself. Like on (pg 63) when he breaks curleys hand just by clenching his fist. Secondly, on page 85, Lennie always thought he was just stroking his pups, but he comes to realize he was really thumping them and thats why they died. Also lennie was unaware of how people pr being in some situations could hurt him. He was oblivious to the fact that Curley didnt like him and wanted to fight him. He couldnt get over the fact that everyone wasnt like George.
Taylor Dieck
6th hr.
I choose theory number four for why Steinbeck kills Lennie. Lennie is a true example of public disturbance. He cannot control himself when it comes to not touching soft objects. He got in trouble one time, for touching a girls dress. So obviously when the second oppurtunity comes up any person should know to refrain. However Lennie does not refrain because he has thoughts that do not register consiquences. He has no sense of what is right and wrong, it is true that in society he can be considered an outcast. In these times in which the novel was written people did not know how to react to the problems Lennie proposed. So in fact he was a true example of a public disturbance.
Post a Comment